Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) regressed Tuesday, wearing a mask again after the CDC issued new recommendations.
Whitmer lifted her mask order for fully vaccinated people in mid-May, but during a Detroit press conference today, was spotted sporting one:
Whitmer, who was fully vaccinated in June, left the door open to another mandate.
“I do not anticipate another pandemic order, not in the near future and maybe not ever,” Whitmer said, the Detroit Free Press reported.
“The fact of the matter is we now know a lot about this virus, we’ve got vaccines. The best way to stay safe is to get vaccinated. I’m really, strongly encouraging everyone to do just that.”
Whitmer said she wore a mask at the urging of Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, her chief medical adviser.
The Free Press noted the governor “wore a mask before and after speaking at the event. She’s fully vaccinated and the event was in a large, semi-open space.”
“And that’s why all of us doing our part, getting vaccinated, wearing masks when we are inside and close together, is always going to be the smart thing to do so long as COVID is around,” Whitmer told the group.
In May, the governor claimed she had been “following the best data and science” when she lifted the mask mandate, according to NBC 25.
“With millions of Michiganders fully vaccinated, we can now safely and confidently take the next step to get back to normal,” she said at the time.